Signs of construction work have been popping up all across campus over the past five months as workers prepare parking, infrastructure and utilities for the new science and mathematics complex. On May 8, workers erected a fence around the construction zone, which will affect access to several buildings on the north side of campus.

“Jacob’s View” and other paintings by Randal May, the Union College alumnus who created the class gift for the class of 2012, will be on display in the McClelland Art Gallery now through May 20.

As a class gift, the senior class of 2012 commissioned a painting by Union College alumnus Randall May to hang in the lobby of the new science and mathematics complex. The four-by-five-foot piece will be unveiled after the Commencement service on May 6. Other works by May are currently on display in the McClelland Art Gallery from now until May 20.

Ted Kooser, 13th Poet Laureate of the United States, visited the new Local Literary Wonders class after the students studied his poetry. The students also met authors Kent Hauraf and Mary Pipher. (Photo by Aron Crews.)

Reading between the lines is no problem for the Local Literary Wonders class.

Taught by Chris Blake, the new class offered at Union studied three Midwestern authors and provided students the opportunity to meet them—Kent Hauraf, Mary Pipher and Ted Kooser—in an intimate setting.

In conjunction with Homecoming Weekend, Union College will celebrate Christ's death and resurrection with several special events.

On Saturday, April 7, at 10:40 a.m. Dick Stenbakken ’62 will perform a first-person drama, The Centurion, in the College View Church sanctuary. Stenbakken, who spent most of his career as a military chaplain, will perform the monologue in full costume from the view point of the centurion who professed faith in Christ at the cross.

Don Abbey, a biology professor at Union since 1998, and his wife, Janella, will be leaving Union after this academic year to become the Asian Projects field directors for Adventist Frontier Missions.

Retirement dreams of sitting on a beach watching sailboats and playing with grandchildren were pushed aside when Don and Janella Abbey felt the call to serve God in a new and different way.

After 14 years of service to Union College, the couple accepted the role of Asian Projects field directors for Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM). While stationed in Thailand, they will provide support to missionary couples in India, Philippines, and other South and Southeast Asian countries while and researching new projects in their region.

Photographs from the Lora McMahon King Heritage Room are now available for searching and viewing in the Union College Heritage Collections database. Material in this collection is related to the history of Union College, the College View community, and the Seventh-day Adventist denomination with a particular emphasis on the Mid-America Union region. The database is open access and available to the public through the World Wide Web.

The paintings of Union College professor Jim McClelland will be on display in the McClelland Art Gallery now through April 22.

“Birds have been important to me all my life, particularly when I became Adventist,” explained Jim McClelland, whose name has become synonymous with Union College's art program after 38 years of teaching. His vibrant paintings have inspired students, embellished Engel Hall and given him a national reputation. They are now on display in the McClelland Art Gallery until April 22.

Union College will break ground for a new 55,000 sq. ft. science and mathematics complex on Friday, April 6, at 1:30 p.m.

Union College will strengthen its commitment to provide excellent science, mathematics and health science education in the Lincoln community by breaking ground for a new 55,000 sq. ft. science and mathematics complex on April 6.

Since founding Nebraska’s oldest nursing program in 1946, Union College has become a leader in training health care providers, many of whom come from around the country and choose to stay in the Lincoln community.

Alexander Garner, senior IRR major, and staff member Lauren Kent provide medical treatment for a local man during the IRR program's annual semester in Nicaragua.

Piling into the rusty, 10-wheel, 1969 military vehicle, the students sent up a prayer. Sure, there are bugs. And heat. And humidity. But with a sick two-year-old in need of care and the nearest hospital two hours away, all of those hardships became irrelevant. This is the reality the twelve students and three staff from Union College's International Rescue and Relief (IRR) program have faced during their semester long stay in Nicaragua while providing medical care to severely under-served communities.

Cassi Fitzpatrick's senior art exhibition featuring photos from Africa is on display in the McClelland Art Gallery now through March 25. All artwork is for sale to help fund her clean water project for the Maasai tribe in Kenya.

“Cassi, we have a new name for you,” said Solomae. “’Nashipae,’ which means joy. You’re beautiful and full of happiness. We’re sad you have to go soon, but know you can always come back. You’ll always be our sister, a Maasai.”

Even before excavators begin breaking ground for the new science and mathematics complex, the Union College Board of Trustees has approved a plan to convert part of the Don Love Building to make more space for Union’s two newest programs.

“This started as a plan to create more room for our physician assistant program,” said Gary Bollinger, vice president for Financial Administration. “We've expanded our goal slightly to make the renovated space meet the needs of the PA program and also the international rescue and relief program.”

Tyler Morrison posed with fellow Endless Praise singer Sheldon Moroney and an elementary student after a concert during a tour through Tasmania. Morrison left Union in January to join Endless Praise for one year. (Photo courtesy of Endless Praise)

When Tyler Morrison heard Endless Praise perform at Union College last August, he immediately knew he wanted to be part of a group like them. One of Australia’s leading Christian music groups, Endless Praise incorporates pop, contemporary, funk and R&B elements into inspirational worship performances—it's a mix of music and faith that instantly appealed to the sophomore religious education major. “While they were singing, I remember whispering to a friend about how much fun it would be to join a group like Endless Praise,” Morrison recalled.&n

Each year Chris Blake endeavors to help students in his Conflict and Peacemaking class become active peacemakers through assignments designed to make an impact on Union's campus. This year, the class hopes to expand the reach of their message by helping to organize the annual Lincoln area Peacemaking Workshop XXVI.

Noted Christian author and speaker Dr. Tony Campolo will speak at Union College on Friday, March 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Tony Campolo, a noted author and professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University, will speak at Union College on Friday, March 2.

Campolo has written 38 books including Choose Love Not Power: How to Right the World’s Wrongs from a Place of Weakness, Stories That Feed Your Soul and Connecting Like Jesus, and his visit is sponsored by Compassion International, a Christian organization that fights to free children from poverty.

The winning poems from the Division of Humanities’ second annual poetry competition are currently on display in the McClelland Art Gallery. The division published the top 20 student and employee submissions in the gallery on Feb. 19 and they will exhibit until March 4.

Kristen Vogler, junior graphic design major, won a silver Student ADDY in the Nebraska ADDY competition for 2011. The award was presented during a banquet on Feb. 5, 2012 at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln.